

Open Your Mouth and Say Ahh for Heart Health
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Smiles are contagious. They can stop someone in their tracks and make them fall in love (or so a million songs say), and a good smile might also be good for your heart.
We all want to live a long, healthy life, and as heart disease is the leading cause of death globally each year, we need to do all we can to keep our hearts ticking. Of course, heart health starts with exercise, eating healthy and getting plenty of rest. You might not know that some research shows a healthy mouth is good for your heart too.
The research isn’t conclusive. However, multiple studies infer good oral hygiene is beneficial for your heart and other health factors. According to Harvard Health, one theory of why a healthy mouth is important for a healthy heart is the bacteria that causes gingivitis can move through the body, causing inflammation and tiny blood clots.
A 2018 study in Hypertension stated gum disease can raise your blood pressure and prevent blood pressure medicine from working properly.
Regardless of which side of the research you believe, oral hygiene is something to take seriously. In case you need to brush up on proper techniques, we gathered the tips below from the American Dental Association.
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time.
- Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or sooner if the toothbrush looks damaged
- Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums
- Gently brush back and forth in tooth-wide strokes
- Brush the rest of your mouth
- Floss once a day
- Visit your dentist regularly
Enter for a chance to win one of four $25 gift cards
Enter for a chance to win one of four $25 e-gift cards. Every Tuesday and Thursday, we post one piece of wellness information on our website and promote it through our Facebook page. To enter, you must be 18 years of age or older and respond to the “Useful” question at the end of the wellness information. Be honest, if it was not useful, tell us, it will not impact your odds of winning. One entry per person per piece of content. Genesis HealthCare System employees are not eligible. On the first Monday of the months of January - June 2023, we will draw four winners for the previous month and post on our Facebook page and notify them through email. Complete the form below to enter!